The invention concerns a package for individual objects.
Known packages for objects vulnerable to mechanical forces, e.g., electronic devices, consist of two end pieces and a sufficiently large box. The end pieces made, for example, of rigid foam are put at each end, oriented to one axis of the object, and this assembly is inserted into the box. Because the cross-sections of the end pieces project beyond that of the object, the latter is held in such a way that it does not contact the inner walls of the box. If required, space between the end pieces and the box inner walls is filled by inserts, e.g., of rigid or flexible foam. A filler may also be inserted in the space between the object and the inner wall of the box. This package is stabilized by the fact that the object itself axially supports the end pieces while the box, together with the inserts, prevents axial motion of the end pieces.
Packages for a rolled-up web of light-sensitive material are also known from widespread use. These consist of a core, two end pieces, a box and, if appropriate, inserts. The box is configured as a telescoping or folding box. In the packaging procedure the web is first wound on the core, the end pieces are attached to the core, and ultimately this assembly is inserted into the box. Stability of these packages is of the same type as described above, in that the end pieces are supported on the core and are firmly held in this position by the box.
A longitudinal section of such a known package is shown as an example in FIG. 1. The object to be packaged is a roll (1) of photopolymer resist film that is wound on a polystyrene core (2). To protect the resist film that is vulnerable to mechanical damages, on its front sides the film roll (1) has spacers (6) of elastic material, and rigid end spacers (7), that fill the difference in length between roll (1) and roll core (2) and seal off the front side of the film roll (1). A sheet of pigmented polyethylene (3) that is impermeable to light is loosely wrapped around the roll to protect it from light. Fixed on the ends of the core (2) are rectangular-shaped end pieces (4) that have round projections (5) which fit into the core. The core (2) and its end pieces are put in the interior (10) of a paperboard telescoping box with a rectangular cross-section matching that of the end pieces. Excess length of the box is filled with inserts (8). The outer part (9) of the box is joined with the inner part by adhesive tape. In this type of package, the end pieces (4) are fixed relative to the core (2) by the box pieces (10, 9) and the inserts (8). The resist film wound on the core is thus held at a distance from the inner side of the box, protecting it from damage by force on the box.
In many respects, packages of this type are unsatisfactory. For example, it is difficult to automate insertion of the object with its end pieces into the box. The boxes require a relatively high pre-manufacturing expense, and take up a great deal of room in shipping and storage. Hence their return for re-use is not economical, and after use they constitute a bulky mass to dispose of. In packaging objects that differ only in axial length, various sizes of boxes must be kept in inventory; small differences in length can be handled with inserts. An example is the packaging of light-sensitive material in rolls of differing width.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,837,480 discloses a package for wide, thin film printer ribbon. The package includes a pair of generally butterfly-shaped end pieces of substantially uniform thickness having integral bosses extending orthogonally and inwardly therefrom. A groove surrounds each boss for press fitting thereunto the open ends of a ribbon supply roll and a ribbon leader roll, a span of the ribbon being exposed between the two spaced-part rolls. A heat-shrinkable overwrap encompasses the package and the end pieces have break open cavities in their outer walls for permitting the heat-shrunk overwrap to be broken without danger of damaging the film ribbon.
The objective of the invention is to create a package suitable for fully automatic packaging of individual objects, which is simpler and less expensive than the state of the art, can be adapted easily to articles of different lengths, and can be assembled exclusively from compact, re-usable parts and recyclable material.